Beverage container holder and handle for use in a vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention is a beverage container holder with a handle attached to it for use in passing beverages inside a vehicle. A passenger can use the beverage container holder to hold a beverage container (bottles, cans, glasses, etc.), and pass said beverage container to another passenger in the vehicle by means of the handle. The handle would be grasped by one passenger, and the beverage container holder would then be moved within the grasp of another passenger. This invention will allow safer passage of beverages inside a moving vehicle. It will be especially useful for an adult to pass a beverage container to a child. The beverage container holder is made of a lightweight plastic, and contains no sharp corners, making it safe for children to use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cup holders have been in existence in vehicles for many years, and come in many styles. Some are built into the vehicle doors, some are freestanding, and some are retractable. All of these cup holders, however, are stationary. None of them provide a simple and reliable method of transferring a beverage from one part of a vehicle to another. As a result, beverages are frequently spilled on vehicle seats and carpets, and beverage containers are often damaged or broken. In addition, a dangerous condition can exist if a parent attempts to pass a beverage to an infant or child. First, the parent must drive with one hand, and hold the beverage with the other. Second, the parent must look away from the road in order to see that the beverage has been placed within the child's reach. Finally, the parent must hold the beverage container in this position until they are reasonably certain that the child has successfully taken the container. Obviously, this can present a serious driving hazard under virtually any road condition. This invention has been developed to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The first purpose of the invention is to provide a beverage container holder to hold a variety of beverage containers inside a moving vehicle. The beverage container holder is large enough to accommodate large beverage containers, such as infant milk bottles, but is small enough to avoid excessive movement of the beverage container while it is in the holder. As this holder is intended for use by parents and children, it is brightly colored, and has an attractive design around the mouth, or entrance to the cup holder.

The second purpose of the invention is to provide a handle that can be used to pass the beverage from one passenger to another. The handle is designed to be long enough that a passenger can hold the end of the handle, while the holder is within the reach of another passenger. At the same time, however, the handle is not so long that it is cumbersome to use. That is, the average person can hold the beverage container holder without having the holder extend all the way to the windshield, or the passenger door, or the vehicle ceiling, etc., which would require turning the holder vertically to use it. This ease of use will be especially helpful for children.

The third purpose of the invention is to provide a curved portion, or hook, at the end of the handle. This will make the handle of the beverage container holder look similar to a common umbrella handle. This hook will have to purposes. First, by grasping the hook, a passenger can extend the beverage container holder to its full length, while still keeping a firm grip on the invention. Second, the hook can be used to store the invention, as it can be hung on the wall of a vehicle, preferably on the apparatus found in many vehicles for hanging clothing. This feature will allow accessability of the invention in the vehicle, while keeping the invention from getting left underfoot.

The fourth purpose of the invention is to make the beverage container holder of a lightweight material, such as plastic, which will allow easy use of the invention by both adults and children, by young persons and the elderly. The invention will also be easy to clean, as it can be wiped with a damp cloth. In addition, the invention will have no sharp corners, either on the beverage container holder portion or the handle portion, so that children will be able to use the invention without risk of injury.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1. FIG. 1 is a front view of the invention, showing the beverage container holder, handle, and hook.

2. FIG. 2 is a view of the invention, this time holding a beverage container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. A front view of the invention can be seen in FIG. 1. The side 10 of the beverage container holder is a solid, cylindrical piece, connecting to the holder's bottom 20, part of which is shown in phantom. The top 30 of the holder can be seen to comprise an ornamental design. For the purposes of illustration, the design is a flower. This design, along with the bright colors of the holder itself, is intended to make the invention attractive, and to promote its use by children. The handle 40 connects to the side 10, allowing the holder to be passed from one person to another. In addition, the handle 40 forms a hook 50 at the end, which allows the handle to be grasped by a user's entire hand, thus increasing the stability of the invention during use. The handle also allows for easy storage of the invention. The proportions of the invention are as follows: the mouth of the holder is approximately 3½ inches in diameter, the holder is approximately 10 inches deep, and the handle is approximately 20 inches long.

2. The same view of the invention can be seen in FIG. 2, only with a beverage container 60, shown in phantom, included in the beverage container holder. For the purposes of illustration, the invention is shown holding an infant's bottle. FIG. 2 demonstrates how the beverage container holder is wide enough to accommodate the beverage container, and deep enough to prevent accidental spillages from the beverage container falling out. After several uses, the beverage container holder can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. The handle can be cleaned in the same manner. It is also seen that the beverage container holder, ornamental design, handle, and hook all are free of sharp corners or edges. This will allow the invention to be used by children without risk of injury.

While the invention has been particularly described and illustrated with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention. 

1. A beverage container holder for use in a vehicle, comprising essentially:
 2. A solid, cylindrical holder for a beverage container (cup, bottle, can, etc.), which is wide enough to accommodate a variety of beverage containers, and narrow enough to avoid excess movement by the beverage container while it is in the beverage container holder;
 3. The beverage container holder as defined in claim 1, further containing a handle, attached to the beverage container holder, which can be held by a passenger of a vehicle, while the beverage container holder is moved to within the grasp of another passenger;
 4. The beverage container holder handle, as defined in claim 2, further being long enough to be used effectively inside a vehicle, while being short enough to avoid becoming cumbersome to carry and store in a vehicle;
 5. The beverage container holder as defined in claim 1, further containing a curved section at the end of said handle, that can be used to store the beverage container holder by hanging it up on a luggage hook inside a vehicle;
 6. The beverage container holder and handle, further being made of a lightweight material, which will ensure that the beverage container holder is not too heavy to be effectively used in a vehicle, and also which will ensure that it is light enough to be used by a wide spectrum of age groups, the invention having no sharp corners which might make it dangerous for children;
 7. A method for passing a beverage container inside a vehicle, by which a passenger will place a beverage container in the beverage container holder, take the handle, and move the beverage container holder within the grasp of a second passenger. 